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twitterPOLITICAL MEMO:
Media aiding health care reform foes
Coverage focuses on conflict and political maneuvering, not substance of bills
Leila Navidi
Rose De La Cruz holds up a sign in Las Vegas during a candlelight vigil for health care reform. Her son Eric died in a hospital waiting for a heart transplant.
Sunday, Sept. 6, 2009 | 2 a.m.
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Opponents of health care reform have made a brilliant move: Get the media to help you confuse the public, which will stop reform in its tracks.
Here’s how it goes:
Americans would like to know more about the health care debate, with about 45 percent surveyed by the Pew Research Center saying they have been tracking the health-care story closer than any other.
At the same time, they are confused. In a Kaiser Family Foundation poll, half of the respondents said they don’t understand the reform plans being discussed.
And with good reason. Once again, the media have done a stupendous job of confusing people.
Washington Post ombudsman Andrew Alexander reviewed roughly 80 A-section stories on health-care reform published in the Post since July 1. All but about a dozen focused on political maneuvering or protests, he reports. The facts about the proposed legislation played second fiddle.
Anyone who has watched cable television the past six weeks will be familiar with this maddening situation: Airtime for screamers and dramatic showdowns, and almost stunning ignoring of the substance of the issue.
The cable news networks love the visuals of the shouting and finger pointing.
Also, they are cursed with reporters who don’t seem to know anything about the debate. CNBC celebrity anchor Maria Bartiromo asked Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., why he’s not on Medicare if it’s such a great government-run insurance program.
Medicare, he politely reminded her, is only for Americans 65 and older.
On the print side, reporters have for too long passed up the opportunity to explain complicated issues such as health care in favor of either: a) he said/she said stories describing a debate in which they give equal credence to all assertions by all sides — true or not; or, b) stories about political tactics wherein they call up operatives on their Rolodex who then speculate — anonymously, of course — on who’s up and who’s down.
The point is, it’s little wonder how totally confused Americans are over the health care debate. The facts are confusing enough just on the face of it. And understanding the issues is impossible when politicos and their demagogic enablers infuse the debate with inflamed rhetoric.
Take two infamous claims, which have been thoroughly debunked.
First, enemies of reform have asserted that a panel of government bureaucrats will ration health care and determine which old or disabled Americans will be euthanized — “death panels,” in the words of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. As the Pulitzer Prize-winning outfit Politifact pointed out, “There is no panel in any version of the health care bills in Congress that judges a person’s ‘level of productivity in society’ to determine whether he or she is ‘worthy’ of health care.”
This fiction seems to have arisen out of another, that doctors would be forced to instruct seniors in ending their lives sooner.
Politifact, again: “The truth is that the health bill allows Medicare, for the first time, to pay for doctor appointments for patients to discuss living wills and other end-of-life issues. These types of appointments are optional, and AARP supports the measure.”
Enemies of reform combined these explosive untruths with ingenious guerrilla tactics, such as the recent visit to Nevada by the lobbyist-backed “Tea Party Express,” to muddy the water.
The media then dropped a paddle in this muddy water and stirred it up some more.
Democrats and other reform backers have failed to effectively educate the public or push back against the media.
Now reform is in trouble, which is not surprising. The public isn’t about to agree to something it doesn’t understand.
Discussion: 34 comments so far…
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The Dems and those who carry their water, such as the Sun, attempted to label those who don't support their government-run health care scheme as "evil mongers," but they quickly found that didn't work. That strategy blew up in their face.
Now I see the new talking points have been distributed. Now the poor citizens are just "confused," according to this misguided article, as if we don't know what's good for us because the right-wing media conspiracy has misrepresented Obamacare. If we only had the truth -- like the Dems -- we would all see the light and say, "Sure, sign me up."
Dems just can't get it through their liberal skulls that we're not evil or confused. Even Obama has trouble defining Obamacare. All he's done so far is say what it is NOT - "You won't lose this, you won't lose that." But the devil is in the details, and it appears Obama is afraid to tell us what those details really are.
If the Dems are so pathetic that they can't pass health care when they have the White House, a big majority in the House and a nearly-fillibuster proof Senate, they should blame only themselves. Not the mean old Repubs who won't jump on the bipartisanship bandwagon.
Or are the Dems simply afraid that if they go it alone on health care that they will "own" the gov't boondoggle and pay for it politically in 2010, 2012 and beyond? Misery would sure love some company in the form of a few Repub votes to share the blame. No dice. You're on your own.
Sorry, judgesmales, but you are fighting ObamaCare with the same hysterical, b.s. arguments you fought MediCare and Social Security. That, too, was to bring SOCIALISM!!! to America. That, too, was supposed to be the end of Freedom. You ARE evil and confused. As eager and willing you are to believe otherwise, martians will NOT be covered by ObamaCare... Today, somebody comes between you and your doctor. Today, somebody denies and rations health care. And that's private health insurance, and you don't even know it. Yes, you're evil and confused. Public Option Now!
Why do people think that the change will bring about death panels? They're already here. They're called insurance companies. And don't deny it. A few years back, my mother-in-law died of a brain aneurism because she needed a shunt put in her head. But her nationally-revered insurance company deemed it "elective surgery." And her premiums were paid in full. Indeed, she had paid them a LOT of money over the years. So don't give me your hysterics about what you fear will happen. What you fear will happen already happens.
Keep your dang health care reform. I am VERY happy with my health care and do not wish to pay for other people's care. Thank you very much!
it is the media covering the retarded republicans and their fake outrage, lying and fear mongering that distorted this issue...
and cluster fox...
cluster fox they do more than cover this baloney...
they create it...
the retarded republicans have lost their minds...
the retarded republicans have shown their true colors...
the retarded republicans are children...
the retarded republicans have flushed their reputations down the drain...
the retarded republicans are...
well...
retarded!!!
The media is to blame? Articles telling of the protests against the government trying to take over health care as they did the auto industry are wrong.
Censorship is what's needed to help Obama reach his goals. We need government control of the air waves and the press. If we could just keep the public from finding out about these things we could get more passed.
Great thoughts from the Sun.. WoW.
Electing a clueless president that has not ran anything or done anything of any complexity is the reason that the Democrats are in a state of confusion.
Could it be leadership? When Oblame called for his armies to report misinformation to flag@whitehouse.gov I gladly complied, the only misinformation I have comes from Washington. Who's in charge this week? Axelrod, Emanuel, Pelosi, Reid, Biden, Van Jones, Obama?
The media is dead, they talk their agenda rather than simply report, they can't figure out why people reject their opinion. No thanks LVS, you've already distributed your stand. This is not a D or R thing, corruption runs deep in Washington, they are all liars. It's time elected officials do their damn job.
Responsible journalism is stone cold dead of self-inflicted wounds.
Two comments then a novel idea.
Everybody does a form of rationing; insurers and Medicare, both are included. They decide what they will pay for or not. That's de facto rationing. Just, the government is more stringent.
The media is not helping either side; overall the coverage is balanced. It's the various media entities are biased in their coverage, kinda. CBS and NBC both have refused to accept commercials opposing government run health care because they are political. Then, on the other hand, they accept commercials for the pro side and run special programs (one from the White House) designed to advance the proposal. And these weren't political?
I've looked and listened until my brain is tired. I tried to wade through the mire of rhetoric, and had a little bit of success. There is one consistent thread mentioned - even shouted - whenever it could get into the debate. We want to get health care costs under control; we want to get medicine costs under control; look at what's really causing the insane costs.
An economics 101 principle is the cost of anything is the expense of producing, marketing, transporting and overhead (accounting, insurance, licenses, rent etc.)
Congress can't control most of these elements. They can, however, do a lot to reduce one overhead element; insurance. That element is driven more by the cost of a tort suits than any other factor. The answer?
Tort Reform; there, somebody said it.
The politicians are so worried about the dollars they will NOT get from the trial lawyers they can't envision the votes they WILL get were they to go ahead and reduce medical costs by about one third. In most places that would almost ensure re-election.
Tort reform is the mule that drags the cart. So why is it not out in front?
Tort reform first; then health care reform; duh!
There will be no meaningful heath reform without tort reform.
instead of labeling people congress should listen to what is being said and do four things:
1.) tort reform and;
2.) make laws that allow competition between the 1300 insurance companies across state lines....
the best example is that in california they are limited to six companies....no wonder the rates are high...if all thirteen hundred were accessible, just think maybe the costs would go down...
3.) they also need to tackle the hospitals, clinics, surgical centers, etc., and ensure that prices are fair and reasonable...
4.) then they need to clean their own house on medicare fraud and clean up those before they should ever venture into wanting to run the nations healthcare...
I hate to say it, but I agree with mikegino
100 percent.
conservative media, liberal media, "infotainment", "24 hour news cycles," sound bites, attack ads;
The Media has no scruples. Journalistic ethics
are DEAD.
Right, Sherm?
gmag: I can't devine whether your comment is facetious or not; however, my assessment is that the legal profession preceeded the fourth estate into the same abyss. Our revered social institutions are crappola. This is why I drink.
The 'media', print, radio, teevee, etc. has lost all of it's ability to actually 'report' in-depth news. They take whatever sound bite they can grab (mostly made up) and run with it like it's always fact... The media's lack of curiosity and intestinal fortitude has left us, as a nation, in a lot worse shape than we were in 25 years ago...It's amazing we EVER find out what is fact and what is the media's hallucination..
Just in the past 5-8 years, we've had atrocities come to light where there is FAR more evidence for exploring and indictments and arrests than ever existed for Watergate and see what happened there. The media has lost it's spine.. And the public demand for FACTS keeps going down based on our collective IQ's being dumbed-down by the 'infotainment' we are all blasted with daily.
This whole health care debate and reform program should be a breeze but the right-wing hate machine has ramped up to a point where the general public thinks death squads are coming to their homes today and those that are covered now are going to loose their benefits....What insane distortions of the truth! WHY isn't the media carrying the public's water on this one versus the Neo-Nut machine??? Breathtaking...
Winski, you sure paint the "media" with a broad brush when you include them together. There are news outlets on both side of the political isle.
Your last paragraph tells all about your bias. You are closed minded and do not want to listen to others when their opinions defer from yours. At least we are able to debate this issue. In some countries with less freedom then the U.S., citizens don't get the chance to debate issues. They just ram them through, saying they know best.
But, on the other hand, that's why, we are here posting our opinions. You do not have to accept them, but they are our opinions and we are all entitled to them.
michael, I am being as serious as a heart attack.
To your health, then.
cheers.
Thanks LVspectator for telling like it is.
Does any one notice that those like Larry Vegas never refer to the actual proposals or language in any of the bills from either the House or Senate in their outrageous claims and predictions to adopting health insurance reform?
A great Senator once said "everyone is entilted to their own opinions but not their own facts".
These are the same ideas and voices that opposed Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid, Pell Grants for college students, the Civil Rights and Voter Rights legislation, Collective bargaining for workers, workman's compensation, work place safety laws, minimum wage legislation, conservation of our national parks, Womens' right to vote and to choose, women's right to equal pay, regulation of public utilities, environmental protection legislation, regulation of Wall Street and so much more.
These voices never change. They live in the past and in spite of them we make great progress. Our nation is more humane, more civil inspite of them.
Their arguments are not based on facts nor history.
They can't accept we have a changing world that requires new ideas to meet the challenges of the 21st Century.
Some can't even accept that we have a elected a black President and they will say or do anything to bring him down.
You are on the right side of history so keep up the fight. Continue to speak out against their regressive ideology.
Free with misinformation: Here you go again... "...can't even accept that we have a elected a black President..." You just can't leave race out of it, can you... I guess this is your fall back position. When you can't discuss an issue or fact, you say that "race" is the reason anyone dislikes the direction this president is taking the county.
Name calling, labeling and using the race card are your trademark.
you can't have government subsidies for high fructose corn syrup and tobacco and then turn around and take money out of my check to pay for the health problems those products cause.
Tort reform is another right wing red herring...
http://washingtonindependent.com/55535/t...
Call it as you may, but there will be no meaningful health care reform without tort reform.
Look at HR-3200... Dead in the water... Don't believe me? The President will tell you so on Wednesday.
I totally agree with this article.
We need public health care..just for the fact that most of us have to work at a job we hate just so our families can continue their health coverage. if I had the freedom to be covered for medical I could start my own business.. I wouldn't milk the system, yet it would give me the security I need.
Why would anyone be against that? These must be the same people that are against the president telling their children to stay in school. They are against anything that Glen Beck tells them to be against. Its sad.. very, very sad.
Lisa, I hate to hear that you have to work to have health insurance. Why should you have to spend your money on health insurance when you could save it to open your own business. Maybe if the public option or single payer system goes through, you can open your business and tell them that you don't make enough money so you can get your health insurance for free. You are right, there is plenty for all so you don't have to "milk" the system. Nobody should be against that.
Your right, the people who would be against you getting free health insurance would probably be against the president telling their children to worship him.
It's all Glen Beck's fault. He just does not see a good thing when he sees one.
To LarryVegas:
And I suppose in your right-wing mind the likes of Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reilly, etc, are all the "Voice of Reason"? Please. Give me a break!
Who said anything about the "Voice of Reason"? I do watch FOX News to hear news that the other news outlets do not report. Maybe that is why FOX News has seen such an increase in their viewers the last couple of months. I also watch CNN. I really like Lou Dobbs because he is an Independent like me. Very seldom do I watch any network news since they only report what they want you to know.
I haven't listened to Limbaugh in years...
I do not read the New York Times.
I do read the Wall Street Journal
I do read several news services via internet.
What else did you want to know?
Thanks for asking...
Now you can go take your break!
Wait a minute, isn't this the same media that ushered in "the Messiah"? Isn't this the same media that "had a tingle" in its leg?
Typical Libs, now that the shoe is on the other foot it's a conservative conspiracy.
Man, I love this crazy place we call a Country!!
Tort reform? some people are good at regurgitating Sean Insannity's talking points (from the Heritage Foundation and Cato Institute).
We have a $350,000 cap on pain and suffering in Nevada (there's been a $250,000 cap in California for years).
The cost of health and malpractice insurance has continued to rise.
50,000 people had to get tested for HIV and hepatitis as a result of the endoscopy clinic malpractice, who knows how many will die? One thing we know they'll get less compensation for their families because of the "tort reform" Larry advocates.
We know that the dittoheads are the first to sue when they are mangled by the medical establishment.
Las Vegas... you are disingenuous if you believe some of the haters of Obama are not motivated because this country has elected a black president.
But the heart of my argument with you is you never address the historical fact of conservative, extreme right wing ideology opposing every progressive piece of legislation we all benefit from today.
This nation is stronger, more humane and more civil because your thinking was overcome by the progressive reforms that were initiated despite your ideology throughout the history of this nation.
Deal with the facts as you drink your clean water, protected against corporate water and air pollution, provided national parks and forest conservation and care , enjoy the protections of anti-discrimination laws, drive our highways, benefit from Social Security and Medicare, send your kids to public K-12 schools and universities if you wish, know your food has been inspected, enjoy the protections of the Center for Disease Control, know FEMA is there in the event of a natural disaster, know that first responders come to your aid in the event of an emergency, feel more secure because we have strong homeland security, military, FBI and CIA agencies, know that there is unemployment insurance, workmen's compensation, rights to collective bargaing, workplace safety and labor laws including a minimum wage and pension protections and that Wall Street can be regulated. These were all reforms that your ideology vehemently opposed and continues to fight.
Thank goodness your side does not prevail.
You are on the wrong side of history.
I note again, that you never point to one piece of the proposed legislation that creates death panels, cuts Medicare benefits, causes for- profit insurance companies to go out of business, limits our choice in plans and rations care.
Instead your opposition is hyperbole, distortions and pathetic appeals to fear.
Free thinking and informed readers want to know why?
I just burned myself on a cup of coffee from McD's.....How much Tort will I get to go with my coffee?
Now you want your coffee and a tort too...
You know, a little tort goes a long way.
And... a little tort can make a lawyer fat...
To JSpence 07: Sir, open your eyes. Others are already paying for your health care. Do your homework! You probably also believe that you are also paying your own way on the use of public roads through gas taxes. WRONG AGAIN! There are subsidies everywhere. What we're subsidizing is fat, overweight, obese private corporations who are inflicting pain and suffering upon the American people with overpriced and under provided health care! Homework did not end in your senior year of high school. Pay attention!
Where is Walter Cronkite when we need him?
The media, including the Sun are purposely attempting to mislead and confuse the public in order to hide the facts about health care. Yes, Americans want reform, but not this insane massive overhaul that Reid, Pelosi and Obama are promoting. We don't want to pay for illegal aliens and we don't want cuts to Medicare, and we certainly don't need another Washington "Czar" telling us what to do